Export shapefile script only works every other time, other times only exports XML

Question

I am working on a simple python script that will check for the existence of a shapefile, remove that shapefile if it is found, then export an SDE feature class to a shapefile. The reason for doing it this way, is if the shapefile already exists, then when the tool exports the feature class to a shapefile it will add "_1" to the name, and so on.

I am having a problem with the tool when the script identifies that the shapefile exists in the user-defined folder. If the shapefile does not exist in the folder, the tool works flawlessly, however, if it does exists, I only end up with a .shp.XML instead of the actual shapefile.

Below is the script I am using. I have removed my actual database connection filepath and replaced it with the text "SDE database connection." This script prompts the user to choose an output folder as a parameter before initiating the script.

Why am I only getting the .shp.XML file extension when the script identifies that the shapefile already exists in the user-defined folder? Should I be using a different method to check for and delete the old shapefile?

import arcpy, os

# VARIABLES
Stormwater_Points = SDE database connection
Output_Location = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)

# REMOVE OLD SHAPEFILE
Old_Shapefile = os.path.join(Output_Location, 'Stormwater_Points.shp')
if os.path.exists(Old_Shapefile):
    os.remove(Old_Shapefile)
else:
    arcpy.AddMessage('Old shapefile not found in this directory, exporting new shapefile to selected directory')

# EXPORT NEW SHAPEFILE
arcpy.FeatureClassToShapefile_conversion(Stormwater_Points, Output_Location)
arcpy.AddMessage('Done')

Answer 1

Instead of using os commands to check the existence of shapefiles and to delete, use the arcpy functions Exists and Delete_management

# Check for existence of data before deleting
#
if arcpy.Exists("roadbuffer"):
    arcpy.Delete_management("roadbuffer")

From: http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/analyze/arcpy-functions/exists.htm